Confused Over Time
by Iona Nineve
Summary: On Christmas Day, after some reminiscing Ichabod is introduced to the new meaning of a word commonly used during the holidays back in his day. Oneshot. Warning: contains major spoilers for anyone not caught up to episodes as of the 12th of December.


**Author's Note: A Christmas fanfic. When I started writing this it quickly escalated to something different from its original concept, so the entrance of the basis is belated in the plot.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.**

Confused Over Time

In the morning of Christmas Day, as the sun was rising. Abbie and Jenny entered Corbin's old cabin, Abbie carried a bag with the edges of presents poking out from the top. The fire was blazing warmly, a large armchair had been moved in front of it. A booted foot could be seen on one side.

"Crane?" Abbie called as she approached the chair. In the fire were the smashed remains of a rum bottle and two wine bottles, Ichabod was curled up in it clutching a bottle of scotch.

"Hello Leftenant, Jenny. Merry Christmas." The seasonal greeting came out in a tone of bitter irony as he took a swig of the scotch.

"How long have you been doing this?" Jenny asked, switching her gaze from the fire to the scotch.

"Since last evening." He replied tersely, taking another swig.

"How are you not drunk?" Abbie added, stunned.

"I assure you, Miss Mills, that is exactly the state I intend to reach." He downed what remained in the bottle. The sisters looked at each other, concerned. They had been expecting him to be down after the latest news of his family's fate, but not for him to be hung this low. "Curse this wretched holiday!" He threw the empty bottle into the fire. The flames grew for a moment as the alcohol residue burned. "Everything I have known is gone, and what is not has been forsaken to the point of ruin."

"Hey, Crane." Jenny said in a consoling voice, sitting on an arm of the chair. "You're not the only one here without family. Me and Abbie haven't spent Christmas together in years. We're all eachothers' family now. We brought most of the holiday fixings, so let's party."

"Thank you." Ichabod replied a slight smile of gratitude crossing his face.  
"I'll make some coffee. Jenny, put the presents near the fireplace; since we don't have a tree."

Jenny rolled her eyes. "She always did like bossing me around." She whispered as she slid off the chair, and began setting out the gifts.

"She's right ya' know. The three of us are family now, we're what we've got left." Abbie said holding a mug of coffee out for him.

Taking the warm mug he replied "Thank you, Leftenant, it is a great consolation to me to be regarded as a member of your family."

"Ok, so who's first?" Jenny asked turning toward the chair.

"Crane?" Abbie, who had settled onto the chair's arm, prompted. Ichabod looked at her quizzically. "Go choose one that's for you." He got up, approached the pile, and selected a small square gift. Settling back into his seat he carefully unwrapped the gift and opened the box. Within, lightly covered with a thin paper was an old silver pocket watch.

"My pocket watch, I thought I'd lost it." He said in amazement, tearing his gaze from the shining pendant to where Abbie sat.

"You did. Someone found it years ago, it's been in the historical society museum since. I noticed the initials and took a guess. It was a bit battered, I had it fixed."

"Yes..." He replied, turning the watch in his hand to expose a restored inscription. "It was a gift from Abraham on a Christmas shortly before our... falling out."

"Wait, the Horseman, that Abraham?"

"Indeed, before Katrina came between us, we were great friends. It was the Christmas of 1778, Abraham was holding a party at his home. And it was a merry celebration, enough alcohol to intoxicate the entire Continental Army, and music that could convince a lameman's legs to dance. We were so gay then."

"Wait, what! Am I missing something here?" Jenny exclaimed; she looked confused, an expression shared by her sister.

"Did I say something?" He asked, sharing in their confusion, as he looked from one sister to the other.

"You were gay?"

"Yes. Gay- happy, joyful, merry. Has it another meaning now?"

"Yeah." Jenny answered.

"It's... Ummm... Two... A romantic relationship between two men." Abbie explained.

"Homosexuals. No... No!... You thought I and he... No! I have a wife and child!" He stammered. How much had changed; how could a word with so festive a meaning change to describe homosexuality. In his day such a thing was only whispered among gossip circles, the height of dishonor if aimed at one. Things did not end well for those found or suspected of being of that particular persuasion, disownment was the least of the punishments. Young men were expected to wed a girl of an acceptable social class and quickly produce one or more heirs of the family, any deviation from this plan was frowned upon. An awkward pause filled the air.

"Here, open one from me." Jenny broke the silence, pushing a thin package into his hand. Opening the box he found a familiar object. He gently and lovingly removed the green jeweled necklace from its place.

"How did you get this?" Ichabod asked.

"It was on the floor near a wall in the interrogation room after the Horseman incident." He tenderly returned the necklace to the box.

The day that followed was filled with the giving of gifts, the drinking and eating of traditional holiday delicacies, and the watching of holiday movies that Abbie and Jenny referred to as 'old'.

**Author's Note: I'm very sorry if this offended anyone, it was not meant to, I mearly had an idea of a word that has changed quite a lot since Ichabod's time, and his reaction to learning its modern meaning.**


End file.
